Lawn spreaders are used to provide a controlled distribution of materials, such as granular fertilizers, pesticides, seeds and other finely divided granular material onto a lawn surface. Broadcast spreaders generally include a hopper with a variable flow aperture that is controllable to regulate the amount of material allowed to drop from the hopper through the aperture and onto an impeller. The impeller rotates with the movement of the spreader and distributes the granular material outwardly from the impeller. A deflector may be coupled with the hopper and configured to control the direction of the broadcast output flow of the granular material.
Control mechanisms may be provided on a broadcast spreader to enable adjustment of the flow aperture. The control mechanism typically enables adjusting the length of a control cable that is in mechanical communication with the flow aperture. Some control mechanisms are configured to allow for disassembly and thus are serviceable. Often times, however, serviceable control mechanisms must be disassembled at one or more points and may also require a practitioner to route the control cable along a specific path through the mechanism, so that the length adjustment mechanism will continue to work properly. Some control mechanisms may not allow for disassembly and thus are not maintainable. Further, some broadcast spreaders may include an adjustable deflector that is controlled by way of a cable that is similarly difficult to maintain.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved spreader control mechanism that provides ease of use, assembly, and maintenance.